Mirages
by Gone Rampant
Summary: Set in a Volume 5 possibility where Ruby fights Cinder. On the way to help Ruby out, Weiss is intercepted and finds herself doing more sympathizing than fighting.


_**Mirages**_

 **Set in a hypothetical Volume 5 scenario where Ruby and Jaune are fighting Cinder.**

* * *

Weiss hit the wall, a plume of dust snapping out from the impact zone as she hit the ground. Her ears dimly picked up the sound of a retracting chain, while her eyes saw a quick flash of green that quickly faded into the alcoves of the courtyard. She let a soft groan escape her lips as she felt along her ribs, snapping Dust into her rapier.

Weiss wasn't really surprised that Ruby and Jaune had to rush off when they learned that Cinder had been sighted in Haven, and that both of them had forgotten to let the rest of their teams know about this until the fireworks had already begun. Weiss and Blake had been nearly flying across the rooftops they were so fast, Yang roaring below on her bike, before a chain had wrapped around Weiss's waist and pulled her away. Weiss had roared at them to keep going for Ruby, and she only hoped they'd have the common sense to help her first. Because no matter what, Weiss couldn't be fighting someone worse than a Maiden.

The ratting sound of the chains drew her attention to the other side of the short courtyard Weiss had landed in. From the other side stepped a familiar figure, crop top replaced with a simple white jacket, chains twirling around her finger as she eyed Weiss with an easy-going smirk.

"Hey there Heiress," Emerald called out. "you're looking well."

"Emerald." Weiss began to walk closer to the thief, maintaining eye contact. "Why are you doing this, why are you helping Cinder?"

Emerald shrugged casually. "Loyalty, trust, friendship… you know, things you're not able to buy with daddy's money. You know, I'm kinda bummed I missed you at Branwen's camp." Those dull red eyes glinted. "I've kinda wanted to do this for a while. Always wanted to see how good you really were."

"I don't want to fight you Emerald. Step aside and let me save my friend."

Another shrug. "Sorry Weiss. Can't do that. Cinder will kill the kid, and all I have to do is distract you long enough for her to do that."

Weiss had continued to walk closer during the conversation, allowing her to see clearly that Emerald's jacket had slipped a little. A small choker Emerald had picked up since Beacon had also dipped, allowing Weiss to see an unsettling feature. Most would have ignored it or never gone looking, but the way Emerald had carried herself out made Weiss want to look. And she would know where to look if you wanted to hurt someone without leaving obvious marks.

"… How long as Cinder been hurting you?" The question slipped out, a quiet murmur, but Emerald recoiled as if it had been shouted at her.

"What… you're crazy!" Emerald's hands went subconsciously to her jacket and choker. Weiss's eyes watched impassively as the thief covered up the fading burns. Suddenly so much about Emerald made sense to Weiss, both before during Beacon and in hindsight when looking back on Cinder and her team. Weiss knew what it was to put on a fake smile, and while Emerald was a skilled liar, she hadn't been able to fully fool Weiss. She'd simply assumed at the time that Emerald had come from a broken home like herself.

Emerald shook her head while Weiss pondered, thumbing back the safety on her weapons. "You're trying to get in my head, make me let you walk away. That's not gonna happen." The red eyes blazed with anger as she glared at Weiss. "Any last words before we do this?"

Weiss exhaled quietly. She hoped this would work. "I forgive you."

Emerald stopped dead in her tracks. "What?"

"Emerald, I know what you've gone through, what you're going through right now. I know what it's like to be a wounded soul, so desperate for affection from indifferent and abusive figures that you'd do anything for their approval or love. I know what it is to isolate yourself so you don't think about everything you did in their name." Taking a breath, Weiss flicked her wrist. Myrtenaster clattered against the stone they were standing as it slipped out of her grip.

"I forgive you Emerald, because I know you know what you're doing is fundamentally wrong. And I know exactly what that feels like."

Emerald had been silent for all of Weiss's speech, eyes downcast and only moving when Weiss tossed her sword away. They emptied out, becoming hollow as Emerald languished in her memories for a few moments.

But then she looked up at Weiss, and the burning hatred made its way back into her eyes.

"You… you think you know a thing I went through? You never went hungry and had to steal just so you wouldn't starve to death in your sleep! You think you pity me? Take your pity and fuck off, you spoilt brat! At least you had a family! At least your family never abandoned you like garbage and left you on the streets like a fucking animal! You have no _idea_ what pain is!" Emerald's wrists snapped out and the blades on her weapons outstretched, glinting in the evening light. "You wanna know pain? Let me educate you."

Weiss fought both a shudder and the urge to jump for Myrtenaster. "I don't want to fight you Emerald."

"Pity." Her eyes narrowed. "Then this will be easy."

Emerald lunged forward with a wordless cry. Weiss's glyphs threw her back out of the reach of the sickles. Another glyph kept her in the air and moving as Emerald fired wildly after her. Emerald kept one of her feet on Weiss's sword as Weiss flew across the courtyard, landing in a stumble as she took cover. Ricochets knocked chips of stone off, a few flying a bit close to Weiss.

She needed her sword back. She still didn't want to fight Emerald, but the ability to defend herself would at least grant her time. Pressing her hand to the ground, Weiss closed her eyes and concentrated on an area closer to Emerald.

Her eyes snapped open as a glyph began spinning, ejecting a pale white and blue Boarbatusk that launched into a roll. Emerald saw it too late, a yell of surprise followed by the thud of a body hitting the ground the indicators Weiss needed to set another two Glyphs. One sent her into the air, the second repulsed Myrtenaster upwards into her waiting hand. Emerald picked herself up as Weiss came back to ground level, holding her sword in a defensive stance.

"Emerald," Weiss lowered her sword slightly, "please."

Emerald didn't respond verbally. Weiss winced as what felt like barbed wire ran across her mind, and before her eyes, Emerald vanished. Weiss closed her eyes again, creating a summoning glyph beneath her-

Two blades raked across Weiss's front, pale blue Aura flickering in their wake. She retreated with a shout of pain, arms coming up as a barrage of gunfire tracked her. Emerald this time was able to follow the arc of Weiss's glyphs as they tossed her around, and even with her Dust to create barriers, her Aura took another series of blows along her arms and chest.

Weiss set up a glyph as she landed, going from a fall into an immediate propulsion. Emerald barely rose her blades to deflect Myrtenaster. The two were held in place for a minute, blades sparking against each other. Weiss's eyes were closed.

"So…" Emerald grunted, "guessing diplomacy's failed then, heiress?"

Weiss didn't respond, opening her eyes as Emerald looked down to see a glyph with a rapidly spinning clock inside.

"Oh shit-" she snarled as Weiss rocketed around her, glyphs spawning left, right and centre as she launched blows at Emerald that steadily knocked her into the air. None were kill-strikes, each simply aiming to disarm Emerald or lower her Aura. One particular strike sent Emerald down into the ground, cracks forming from where she impacted. Weiss landed nearby, not hesitating to summon her Knight behind her.

"Give up Emerald. Last warning."

Emerald stayed on the ground for a moment. Weiss allowed herself to hope for a moment that she'd just stay down on the ground and Weiss could go help Ruby. But before long Emerald was getting back up, Aura flickering across her body as she grabbed her sickles again. Again, Emerald vanished as the wires spread over Weiss's mind. The Knight tensed up, but shattered along with Weiss's concentration as another pair of strikes ran along her back. Weiss turned, throwing out a wave of fire only for Emerald to duck under. Another strike hit true on her face, Aura flickering as it prevented Emerald from taking Weiss's scarred eye. Another series of slashes sent Weiss back, while a strike to her hand sent Myrtenaster tumbling out of her grasp and onto the ground. A boot to the stomach sent Weiss onto the ground where her Aura finally gave, ice-blue fragments splintering off her as she struggled to breath. Emerald walked over, aiming with her gun and planting her boot on Weiss's throat.

"You're not turning me against Cinder," she muttered, eyes frantic. It seemed she wasn't even speaking to Weiss at that moment. "You can't. You're just…" Emerald's spare hand came up to clench at her face as she ground out a snarl, eyes blazing. "Damn you!"

Weiss struggled against the boot, managing to pushing it up enough to breathe. "Cinder's not going to love you just because you obey her mindlessly." The boot pressed down further. "She'll toss you aside when she's done with you," Weiss wheezed. "Take it from someone who was tossed aside by people I thought I loved."

Emerald's hand wavered, ever so slightly. "Please," Weiss whispered.

A shot rang out.

* * *

Blake sprinted across the rooftops, breath loud and heavy in her ears as she got closer to the source of the gunfire and the signature sound of Weiss's glyphs. Things fell silent for a time, which only made Blake's heart beat ever faster. Finally, she scraped to a halt at a courtyard. She could feel her heart enter her mouth at the sight before her; Emerald, with her boot to Weiss's throat, holding a gun. Blake made to leap forward, fire her weapon, anything, only for the sharp crack of a gunshot to halt her in her tracks.

Instinctively, Blake's hands came up to cover her face as a mix of a shriek and a groan escaped her throat. Images came unbidden to her mind, of Yang falling through the air as her arm disintegrated behind her, Ruby not moving for weeks after they got to Patch…

But as Blake's eyes opened again, she almost sobbed at the sight of Weiss still drawing breath. Her eyes were wide and a trickle of blood was leaking out of one of her ears, beside which was a smoking hole from the gun, but _Weiss was alive._

A clattering sound filled the now silent courtyard. Emerald's weapons slipped out of her quivering fingers as she retreated, desperate heaving breaths that were almost sobs escaping her lips. She kept backtracking until she hit a pillar where she slumped to the ground. Emerald's hands pulled at her jacket and choker, exposing a series of scars at her collarbone and neck to Weiss and Blake's view.

Emerald's breathing only grew more and more heavy, nearly transitioning into full on sobs. Weiss picked herself up, hissing as she clutched at her ear. Already her Aura was healing the damage, if slowly.

Emerald looked up at Weiss as she walked over. "Cinder… she never loved me, did she?"

Weiss just shook her head softly, kneeling beside Emerald. Emerald looked at the scars crossing along her arms, sniffling. A sob broke free of her lips, leading to Emerald curling into a ball as she started to cry.

Weiss looked up, seeing Blake still at the alley. She nodded softly to the Faunus, who shot her a smile before going to catch up with Yang. The last she saw as she left was Weiss pulling the crying thief into her arms, allowing Emerald to break down into sobs on her shoulder. Weiss had a faraway look, Blake observed; like she was reliving her own demons. Her hand gently rubbed between Emerald's shoulder-blades, while she seemed to be whispering something to Emerald.

* * *

 **I like this ship. In fact I love it. Which means I gotta hurt them. Them's the rules.**

 **Hope you liked this.**


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